Traction-engine



(No'Mode1.)- 2 SheetsSheet 1.

H. M. O'ORMAGK,

TRACTION ENGINE.-

No. 291,300. Patented Jan. 1,1884.

Inveniior:

. (No Model) 2 sheet -sheet 2.

I .H, M. CORMAOK.

, I TRACTION ENGINE. No, 291,300. Patented Jan. 1, 1884.

UNIT D STATES P TENT Orrrcn.

HAMILTOS M. COR-MACK, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRACTION-ENGINE. t

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,300,dated anuary 1,1884.

Applictttionhled September 11, 1253. (No model.)

of which the following, taken in. connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of engines known'as traction-engines,and has for its object the production of a simple and durable engine,whichmay readily be used for plowing and otheragrieultural work, eitherdirectly or by means of a suitable cable system; and it consists in acertain novel construction and arrangement of parts, which will readilybe understood by reference to the description of the drawings and theclaims to be hereinafter given.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improvedtraction-engine. Fig. 2 represents a plan of same with the boiler andcylinder removed. Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 represent details of my improvedreversing-gear, which will hereinafter be fullydescribed.

A is the main frame or carriage, mounted on the traction -wheels 13 Band the steeringframe 0, in which are mounted, in suitable bearings, thewheels D D.

Immediately back of the axles is mounted the boiler E, in such a mannerthat its weight about equalizes the weight of the working parts on thefront of the carriage, thereby biingingthe strain and weight over thetraction-wheels B B, .by which means the steering-frame is relieved ofany undue pressure, and is therefore the more easily turned.

The steeringframe O is provided with the shaft F, fitted to suitablebearings in the frame A, and having secured to its upper end thehandle-bar G, by which the machine may be easily guided in its movementswhen used as a traction-engine.

" To the front side of the boiler is secured an engine, II, of anysuitable construction, to the cross-head of which is secured one end ofthey connecting-rod I, the other end of which is connected to the crankJ, firmly secured to the shaft a, on which are also secured the fly-.that in which it has been revolving.

Immediately below the friction-gears L L are pivoted the levers M M,mounted in suitable bearings in the brackets N N, which are firmlysecured to the under side of the frame A by suitable bolts, as shown inFig. 3. The brackets N N are also provided with suitable bearings. forthe axles P P, on which are mounted the tractioirwheels B B.

r In the hubs of the levers M M, which are mounted in bearings in thebrackets N N, and

eccentric to said hubs, are mounted the shafts" b b, which are eachprovided with a frictiongear, 0, which may be made to engage with thefriction-gear L or L by causing the lever M to take the position shownin Figs. 4 and 5, which is done by means of the connecting-rods c c andlevers cl (1, said levers being pivoted to the sectors Q Q, firmlysecured to the frame A, and provided with the sliding catches a e,

which engage either with one of the sides of the sector Q, or with thenotch f. As shown in the drawings, the catch 6 is firmly pressed againsttheside of the sector Q, thereby, by means of rod 0 and levers M M,forcibly connecting the friction-gears L O, and causing the shaft 1) torevolve, and with it the pinion g, mounted thereon at its outer end,which pinion engages with the internal gear forming a part of thetractionwheel B, causing the same to revolve, thereby moving thecarriage. If it is necessary that the carriage be moved in the oppositedirection, it maybe readily accomplished by disengaging the catch e fromthe side of the sector Q, and moving the lever d to the opposite side ofthe sector and engaging the catch 0 therewith, thus moving the levers Mto their opposite extreme, thereby engaging the friction-gear O with thefriction gear L, and the pinion g with the external gear, h, of thetraction-wheel B, thus causing the wheel to revolve in a directionopposite to This may be readily done without any shock or j ar to themachinery, as during the movement of the levers M M from one extreme tothe other the friction-gears L O are disengaged, as in Fig. 3, therebytransmitting no power to the pinion g, and therefore the gear i, thusallowing the friction on the traction-wheel B to partially overcome themomentum of the carriage before the pinion g is engaged with the gear hto impart motion in the opposite direction. If the pinion were thrown sosuddenly from one gear to the other that the wheel B continued torevolve in the same direction, the friction-gears would simply slipuntil enough friction had been exerted to stop the wheel B in itsmovement, when the pinion 9 would commence to operate to send it in theopposite direction. Each of the tractionwheels being mounted upon aseparate axle and provided'with a separate reversing-gear, one wheel maybe made to move backward while the other is moving forward, therebyallowing the carriage to make a very short turn, which in agriculturalwork is a great advantage. By using a reversing-engine and reversing itwhen the pinion is moved from one gear to the other, two distinct speedsmay be ac quired in either direction.

The traction-wheels B B are made of any suitable material, butpreferably ofcast-iron, and are provided each with an internal gear,and-have secured upon their hubs an external gear somewhat less indiameter, so that a space may be left between the teeth of the two gearsof a width somewhat greater than the diameter of the pinion g, theobjects of which have already been stated. To the rims of these wheelsplates of diagonal]y-corrugated sheet iron or steel are firmly securedby the tie-rods j, of any suitable metal, said rods being placed inalternate corrugations and secured at one end by being bent in a Ushape, and having its shorter end inserted into a hole in the rim of thewheel B, while the other end is correspondingly bent over a notch in therim, and thus securely clamps the tire in place. This produces a simple,durable, and most effective tire for traction-wheels, giving a good holdto the ground, and having a slight elastic movement, which tends todisplace any mud or clay which may have adhered thereto, and absorbs allshocks imparted thereto by uney'en surfaces at the rim of thetraction-wheel, where it is most effectually taken up, thereby relievingthe machinery of any undue jar or strain.

To the rear of the carriage are secured the rods 75 k, which grip intheir outer ends the rod Z, to which a gang plow or other agriculturalimplement may be attached when it is so desired.

The pulley K, mounted upon the drivingshaft a, imparts motion throughthe agency of the belt R to the pulley m upon the secondary shaft a,mounted in the bearings 0 0, secured to the frame A, and provided withthe wormgear 1), loosely mounted thereon, and the clutch q, adapted toslide lengthwise of the shaft 02,. and engage with the worm-gear p andcause it to revolve, said clutch being mounted upon the shaft 11, so asto revolve therewith. The worm-gear p meshes into and imparts motion tothe pinion r, which in its turn imparts motion to the external gear, 8,011 the lower edge of the hollow drum S, which is loosely mounted uponthe steering-shaft F. 1

The drum S is provided with two different speeds, which are adapted tocarry a cable, which may be made to haul or propel cultivating machineryacross a field, or for any other purpose, all. in a well-known manner.When the drum S is in use, the carriage necessarily should bestationary. Therefore the lever cl should be in a vertical position,with the catch e engaged with the notch f to hold said lever ,in place,thereby disengaging the friction-gears L O, as shown in Fig. 3, andholding them in that position, thus preventing any motion from beinggiven ,to the wheels B B. The gear 8 of the drum S may be made to meshwith the worm-gear p without using the pinion 1' without altering theprinciples of my invention.

A great advantage is gained in using the tie-rods j to secure thecorrugated plates to the rim of the traction -wheel, inasmuch as whenonce secured in place there is no loosening of parts and liability ofthe plate drops ping off, as would be the case if bolts and nuts wereused. The continual jarring and j olting have a tendency to loosen anynut, no matter how tightly secured.

WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is*

1. In a traction-engine, a reversing-gear consisting of a wheel mountedupon a fixed axis, and provided with both an internal and an externalgear, and a pinion mounted upon a movable axis, and provided withmeansfor revolving the same, and adapted'to be moved from one gear tothe other without stopping the engine.

2. In a traction-engine, the combination of a wheel provided with bothan internal gear and an external gear, a pinion adapted to engage witheither of said gears, a pair of friction-gears for driving said pinion,and mech anism adapted to move said pinion from a position in contactwith one of said gears to a position in contact with the other, and atthe same time to throw the friction-gears out of and into contact witheach other, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a traction-engine, the combination of the wheel B, provided withthe external gear, 71, and internal gear, 2', the pinion g, secured tothe friction-gear O, and both mounted in the swinging frame M, thefriction-gear L and means of imparting mot-ion thereto, the 0011-necting-rod c, and the lever (I, provided with means for holding it inany required position, all substantially as and for the purposesdescribed.

4. In a traction-engine, a traction-wheel provided with a tire made ofthin corrugated sheet metal, secured to the rim of said wheel by anysuitable means, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In a. traction-engine, a traction-wheel provided with a tire made ofthin diagonallycorrugated sheet metal, secured to the rim of said wheelby means of suitable rods, Whichpass through thecorrugations, and arefirmly IOO secured at their ends to the opposite sides of ing-shaft ofthe carriage, and suitable means the rim of the wheel, substantially asand for for revolving said drum, substantially as and the purposesdescribed. a for the purposes described.

6. In a traotion engine, the combination of In testimony whereof I havesigned my name I 5 5 the tWo-speeded drum S, provided with the to thisspecification,in the presence of two subgear 8, the 'worm-gear p, shaftn, pulley m, scribing witnesses, on this 8th day of Septembelt R, pulleyK, shaft a, and means of roher, A. D. 1883.

tating the same, all substantially as and for HAMILTON M. GORMAGK. i thepurposes described. Witnesses: I 5 10 7. In a traction-engine, thecombination of i WVALTER E. LOMBARD,

E. A. HEMMENWAY.

the geared drum S, mounted upon the steer-

